Friday, April 10, 2009

Photo Story Friday & A lesson learned for mom!

As I stated to earlier I was out of commission for a few weeks with two very different ailments. When I got to the point that I felt better and just could not lie in bed any longer or sit on the couch for another second I decided it was time for some major spring cleaning in the home!! I started with every room in the house. Finding things for a garage sale, Goodwill, EBay, or just plain the trash can. I reorganized drawers, closets, and cabinets. I also started using the internet to buy things for upcoming showers, babies, and Weddings.
One day a box came from something I had purchased. It was a big box and along with what I had bought the box was filled to the rim with packing peanuts. So I had asked the kids to come pick up the peanuts that may fall on the floor when I lifted out the contents. They did and then asked to play in this big box with the peanuts. At first I was like “no way”. I have been cleaning and that is the last mess that I want to clean up right now. After the kids begged and begged I realized what was the harm? Why was I being so resistant? Then I began to think of their fun playing and not worrying about my time having to clean up the mess.

This was a great lesson for me to just relax and go with the flow. To think about the small joy a box of packing peanuts would bring and not of the mess they would make. Enjoy the photos.










PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek





Monday, April 6, 2009

Splash Award

Splash Award is an award given to alluring, amusing, bewitching, impressive and inspiring blogs.



Bella nominated me for my first blog award! How exciting is that? I am so excited although I am late in weeks by accepting it. Thanks so much!!
Here are the rules:
The Rules:
1) Put the logo on your blog/post.
2) Nominate up to 9 blogs which allure, amuse, bewitch, impress or inspire you.
3) Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4) Let them know that they have been splashed by commenting on their blog.
5) Remember to link to the person from whom your received your Splash award.
Blogs I am nominating are:
Angie at 7 Clown circus~ She is an inspiration for me as well as amusing
McMommy at McMommy Chronicles~ Always am finding a laugh when I go to this blog. A really neat style of writing also
MammaGeek at What Works for us~ Need inspiration? Go here and view her photos and stories.
Suz at Steece's Pieces~ This girl gives me inspiration every time I read her blog. She has the cutest quads and such a positive outlook which I need.
Laura at the view from our house~ I am telling you all that I think somehow Laura and I are related. She does not know this, but we have so much in common that at times it is scary!! Great place for mom stories, inspiration, and cute kids.
Jennifer at My Charming Kids~
Speaking of Jennifer. If you have never been to her blog you must go. If you are Christian and a folower of God please pray. Her son Stellan is in the hospital as we speak. What an amazing mother she is. Please visit her blog and write on your blog about her son. Please pray for this baby.
Thanks again for the award.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Month of March and where I have been

It has been a month since I have blogged anything! I can’t believe how fast time flies by. Here is an update on what has been going on around our neck of the woods.
March was a hard month for me! The first weekend of March I woke up to get ready for a bridal shower. I had enough time to get in the shower and ready before my mom would be picking me up to go with her to the shower. My daily routine when I wake up is to go downstairs and get something to drink to take with me into the bathroom as I get ready. And if you really know me then you know that it is a Diet Coke that I am going after. I am not a coffee drinker and that is my wake up drink. So as I am walking down the steps I am noticing that I just don’t feel right. My ankles hurt my feet hurt my body is aching and it is painful to walk. I got my drink then went back upstairs. Again the steps were painful. I then tried taking off my wedding ring before getting into the shower and was unable to make the ring budge. I then got back into my bed. Jeff came up and I explained that I just did not feel good and that my muscles and joints were all very painful. I called my mom and ended up canceling on the shower. I then went back to bed. I slept until around 8 pm. When I got back up I walked down to see what my family was up to and try to spend time with them. It was then that we discovered that my arms, wrists, and feet were all swollen and that I had developed a rash on my arms. So we started going through our minds about a possible allergy. Had we used anything different in the home, had I eaten anything different in the past 24-36 hours? Again the answer was no. So I then took my temp and I was running a fever. To the point that I got down on the kitchen floor and felt better on the cool tiles. Jeff was then worried as I was. We called and made arrangements for the kids and he took me into the ER.

Once we arrived to the ER. I had blood tests drawn as well as and IV. I also had a spinal tap performed on my back. I was given pain meds that were helpful. It seemed strange to us all. At the ER we also spotted that the rash was now all over my butt, legs, and trunk. Long story short we went home with the diagnosis of this is a virus. I then worried about the kids and if they could get it and the answer was no.

I was just downloading photos and forgot that the kids brought me all their stuffed animals when I was in bed and then Gabby took some photos. So these photos are by a 3 year old that I did not know was taking pictures at the time. Jeff is trying to get my wedding band off in one pic.


The swelling on my arms and fingers was very uncomfortable and at times very painful. Never have I experienced something like this before. This was on a Saturday and the swelling was finally down and manageable o the point that on Wednesday I finally got my wedding band off, and was able to see bones in my hands again as well as put my other hands fingers around the opposite wrist.

So I start to feel better and am at the point of being so sick of lying in bed and resting. I was up in Gabby’s room one day a few days later and was on the phone and making her bed when I bent over the wrong way I guess and when I stood back up I noticed and felt something strange in my back.

This was my next ailment. This was so painful and I began worrying about disks in my back and if I did something to a disk. I then was back at the doctor’s office and was told that the muscles in my back were spasming. So I was given pain meds and muscle relaxers. I felt better a few days later with the muscle relaxers. I am to the point now that if I sit for a period of time my back will really hurt. It is still hurting but not to the degree that it was. It was a 10 and now I am about a 4. So I am still having problems.

After a week and a half of the back issue and pain and medications I was again so over being in bed and lying low. I then got into a big spring cleaning mode and have been cleaning out drawers, closets, and cupboards. We have been putting a ton of stuff away for a garage sale and also Jeff has been out of town the past few weeks. So now the month of March is over and I am ready for April and to hopefully be over the health issues.

… And back to blogging on a regular basis.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Favorite things swap!!

***First off I apologize that I am late in blogging about my participation in the Mamarazzis favorite things Swap! I have been in bed primarily for the past 4 days with some weird virus… if that is even what this is that is ailing me.***

I signed up to be in my first swap ever and am so glad that I did. There was some confusion in the beginning being that I was in Florida and we were having email problems, but it all worked out and I was matched up with Steph over at And then there were 6. Steph and I have lots in common and it made this very easy!

My package arrived on Friday and the following are pictures of what all the goodies were inside.





All the goodies still in the box and wrapped up!



A note from Steph and everything out of the box.
Everything unwrapped. I am so excited to plant the flowers in Sam and Syd's garden.
Nail polish that Gabrielle was so excited about and we already painted her nails. Chocolate and brownie mix. YUM! I had to laugh at the Burt's Bee. Jeff loves and swears by the stuff. A great movie that I am excited to see again.
Thanks Steph! I love it all and it was fun to get mail from you. Actually fun to get GOOD, GREAT, EXCELLENT mail from you. :)




Friday, March 6, 2009

Photo Story Friday~ Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique~

As many of you know when we went to Sanibel Island on vacation we also took a side trip to Disney. Orlando is about a 3 hour trip from Sanibel. We had an amazing time in Disney, although it never seems like enough time. Our trip to Florida was not really planned nor was a trip to Disney. (Meaning this was not a trip planned out months in advanced) My dad has a condo in Florida and he is also a Florida resident. I think sometimes he gets bored alone in Florida so he called me in January asking if the kids and I would want to go to Sanibel for a trip. Of course I jumped on the invitation and then decided since we were in Florida and the kids are at such great ages that a trip to Disney would be a wonderful idea!
Little Miss Gabrielle is three and a half. She loves everything dress up and princess. So when I was on the Disney website in late January making arrangements for a character dinner and came across the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique it seemed like a no brainer to me. What is this boutique? I am glad you asked. It is an amazing, creative, and fun experience for any little princess.
Below is copied from the website:
It's hard not to feel as happy as a princess in this charming little boutique, owned by Cinderella's Fairy Godmother and operated by Fairy Godmothers-in-training. The boutique offers multiple hair styles, nail color, make-up and a total package including Disney Princess costume and photographs.
Girls 3 years old and above can choose from 3 hair styles — Fairytale Princess, Disney Diva and Pop Princess — in 3 available packages:
• Coach Package includes hairstyling and shimmering makeup
• Crown Package includes hairstyling, shimmering makeup and nails
• Castle Package includes the Crown Package plus the Imaging Package (one 6" x 8" and four 4" x 6" photos in a princess-themed photo holder) and complete costume of your choice with accessories

I was so excited to do this for Gabrielle. This is how our princess experience went. We surprised Gabby and went to our appointment after lunch. After signing in the princess to be goes and chooses her gown and princess to become. Gabby chose Sleeping Beauty due to the fact that the dress is pink and so are the shoes! (Love that girl and her devotion to the color pink!!) She then goes back into the princess dressing room and puts on her princess dress. Then she sits in the princess salon chair. Because Gabby has short hair they made a very small pony tail at the top of her head giving her a “Pebbles” look. From there they used a head piece to create a bun and extensions of hair. She gets her nails painted as well as makeup put on her face. This all takes place by the Fairy Godmothers and the whole time she is called “Princess Gabrielle”.
ADORABLE!!! This was so much fun. Gabrielle LOVED it! It was so precious and I am just so happy that we were able to do this for her and at three years old when Disney is a magical place she could feel like a princess. I only wish they had this stuff when I was a kid!!













PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Wordful Wednesday~ Siblings


Lately these two have learned how to push each others buttons. For example, Joey has decided that he does not like to be called “Joe Joe” and since little sister knows this she will call him “Joe Joe” at just the right times to force a whining and crying reaction out of her big brother. To get her back he will then call her “G G” (Gabrielle Grace) this will then upset little sister. So this will go on back and forth until mom steps in and asks them both to knock it off.

But at the end of the day, we are brother and sister and we love each other very much!

Head on over to 7 clown Circus.. Sorry Angie I am having problems making the button show up and not cryptic text.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Our trip to Sanibel Island, Florida

We are back from a wonderful trip to Sanibel! Joey, Gabrielle, and I spent nine days with my dad in Sanibel before Jeff joined us. Before Jeff joined us here is a list of some things we did:
*Swam in the pool
*Taught Joey how to swim without floaties! This was a big deal and after he got up the confidence he was so proud of himself and now LOVES to swim
*Walked the beach
*Made sand castles
*The kids were burying me feet in the sand one day as I watched 2 dolphins feed in the ocean
*Went to Ding Darling
*Ate at some wonderful places! We loved Grandma Dots and Island Pizza
*Shopped on Periwinkle

When Jeff joined us we spent time one day on Captiva and took a dolphin cruise. We also got alone time one night and went to see the movie “he’s just not that in to you”. On Wednesday I will be showing pictures from Disney! I am so excited for Wordful Wednesday this week. The best parts of our trip have to be spending time Papa, seeing Joey swim, and getting away from Ohio and the cold temperatures. Tomorrow it will be a high of 16 degrees F and I just can’t wait! (ß Kidding!) Now some photos from our trip…


Attempt at a family picture
My handsome little boy




Beautiful girl in her bathing suit


Mommy, Joey, & Gab... I got a little too much sun one day. Ended up getting sun poisoning on my chest.




Joey & Gab at Ding Darling



Joey swimming with Papa with no flotation assistance




Siblings!





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